"Spending time in nature, particularly in wilderness, can pose physical dangers - but rejecting nature because of those risks and discomforts is a greater gamble."

All pictures & text: COPYRIGHT B.J.Howard 2016

"The outdoors - especially wilderness - is a great leveller, a great teacher, and a place not to take on, but to work with......."

Barry Howard is an outdoor education specialist, author, professional geographer, and wilderness guide with 45 years of experience in running multi-award-winning courses.

Never happier than when he's leading clients somewhere in Scotland or up-country Norway or Sweden - preferably in Finnmark or Varanger, he's known throughout the south-east as one of the key specialists in developing and leading meaningful and successful outdoor learning projects and wilderness courses whether that be in forests, on a mountainside, coast, or the Arctic.

His company 'Hunter Outdoor Training' is based in Leigh-on-Sea.

Described as a placid guy as long as there's always a brew available, he works (very) hard to avoid low doors, dislikes large crowds, and can't see what the fuss is all about with this pasta thing.

He considers himself to be just a jobbing outdoorsman who's still learning.